2018–2019 Annual Report
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2018–2019 ANNUAL REPORT SUSTAIN EMPOWER TEACH 1 DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT 25 YEARS OF SUSTAINING, EMPOWERING, AND TEACHING… From the Desk of the Executive Director As always, we invite you to include ATP in your By Jeanmarie Papelian itinerary when you visit Armenia. We love to show our work, and you can even plant a tree with us! If I’m pleased to share ATP’s annual report with you. your schedule brings you to Yerevan in October, As you’ll see in these pages, we’re continuing to fulfill be sure to come to the conference we’re planning our mission of using trees to help Armenians improve with the American University’s Acopian Center their standard of living. Last year, our four nurseries for the Environment. Forest Summit: Global produced over 250,000 trees which we planted in Action and Armenia will bring together experts to sites all over Armenia and Artsakh. The total number discuss Armenia’s environmental challenges and of trees we’ve planted since 1994 exceeds 5.7 million, opportunities. The conference will include field visits and we’re on track to reach six million this year. to both state forests and ATP’s nurseries. ATP’s work is about so much more than planting 2019 marks ATP’s 25th anniversary, and soon we’ll trees. We sustain Armenia’s environment by ensuring kick of a yearlong celebration. ATP’s success is a high survival rate of the trees we plant while the result of dedicated and generous support from enriching the soil, water, air quality and harvests. people like you. Events are being planned in Boston, We empower Armenians by providing economic New York, California, Philadelphia and Armenia. We independence through employment opportunities look forward to celebrating with you! and enterprise opportunities. We teach students all over Armenia and the Diaspora to build awareness about healthy trees and preservation and the role of individual and community in the environment. COVER PHOTO: Aerial drone photo of ATP’s new tree nursery in Chiva Village. The Chiva Nursery was established in 2016 to provide locally grown trees for sites in southern Armenia and Artsakh. It is located in the burgeoning wine region of Vayots Dzor. 2 290554 AR.indd 2 3/8/19 7:10 PM ENGAGEMENT ATP relies on volunteers and is powered by the Arrange for ATP to visit with Armenian Civic commitment of time, treasure and talent that our organizations in your community to tell the story volunteers provide. Volunteers open the doors in of how close to 6 million trees have been planted Armenia and the Diaspora that enable ATP to reach over the past 25 years that help to sustain the out to new prospects and donors who have an interest indigenous ecosystem while providing families in in the environment and the work ATP does. villages throughout Armenia a path to economic If you are you passionate about protecting the independence. environment and eager to help improve the quality Volunteer in Armenia of life for our sisters and brothers in Armenia than • Help plant trees at one of our Community Tree we want, you! Planting sites There are many opportunities to become involved: • Take part in an environmental cleanup or Volunteer in the United States ecological project • Host an ATP informational event in your home in • Volunteer at our Eco Camps and help teach the behalf of ATP next generation of environmentalists • Raise funds in support of a specific ATP Community Tree Planting Site or to sponsor a Backyard Nursery • Invite an ATP Leader or staf person to your Church for cofee hour and to bring ATP’s Building Bridges award winning curriculum to your school or youth groups • Represent ATP in your community through events, festivals and bazaars 3 290554 AR.indd 3 3/8/19 7:10 PM SUSTAIN TREE PLANTING PROGRAMS EMPHASIZE THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATURE AND PEOPLE Throughout the past 25 years, ATP has mastered economic empowerment that is vital to environmental the art of growing and planting healthy trees. sustainability and healthy living.” Our solution is holistic: both nature and people We receive dozens of requests each season to plant are integral forces that work together to create a trees in communities across Armenia and Artsakh. sustainable, healthy environment. Our experts visit the potential site to assess the soil One of ATP’s goals is to improve the quality of the and water conditions, and decide on the optimal seedlings we plant and increase the productivity types and number of trees. of our four tree nurseries. Maintaining quality Once a site is decided upon, our staf outlines the while simultaneously increasing quantity requires necessary budget and timeline to plant the site, which an understanding of the land, the opportunities is typically between 1.5 to 3 years. ATP meets with presented by new technologies, and the challenges villagers to educate them on how to plant and care presented by climate change. for the trees, and to distribute fruit trees for their “Sustaining communities is at the heart of ATP’s families. Initially, only 30 percent of the trees are programs,” explains Operations Manager Arthur planted, and the rate of success is evaluated by ATP’s Harutyunyan. “Whether it’s greening a public site or monitors before the rest of the site is completed. improving the quality of life for an entire village, our “One of our biggest concerns for the security of approach connects the education, awareness, and Armenia is the well-being and prosperity of its village 4 290554 AR.indd 4 3/8/19 7:10 PM 2018 RESULTS 2019 GOAL SINCE 1994 NUMBER OF TREES PLANTED 257,910 280,000 5,722,562 NUMBER OF SITES PLANTED 198 125 1,270 POUNDS OF FRUIT HARVESTED 1,652,414 1,500,000 7,489,201 communities, especially those near or on the borders,” “Whether it’s greening a public adds Harutyunyan. “ATP has targeted the communities site or improving the quality with the most need for greenery. The focus and of life for an entire village, our attention that is given to these areas helps our trees to grow and flourish, and creates a stronger bond approach connects the education, between the inhabitants and the land they live on.” awareness, and economic Early on, ATP recognized the trend of deforestation empowerment that is vital to and decided to scale up its planting in order to environmental sustainability reverse the situation and mitigate the long-term and healthy living.” consequences. Desertification has been identified as a threat facing Armenia. Erosion, habitat loss, and diminished supplies of clean water are also Through careful experimentation and a focus on consequences of low forest cover. It is imperative that the propagation of native trees, ATP has achieved a we focus on the renewal of Armenia’s forests. survival rate of 60 percent for its forestry sites, which ATP established a reforestation nursery in is well above the global average. The high survival Margahovit Village with support from the Mirak rate is ensured by taking several critical steps: Family, dedicated to producing seedlings for forest • Fencing in new areas to protect from sites in Northern Armenia. This nursery has enabled livestock grazing ATP to accelerate its rate of tree cultivation, and • Maintenance in first 2-3 years to protect young attain a higher-than-average tree survival rate. The seedlings from being overcrowded by grass Mirak Nursery employs 16 full-time workers including • Monitoring of sites throughout the year a forester, a monitor, and a GIS specialist. Currently, 200,000 seedlings are harvested annually from the In 2019, ATP is dedicating a new experimental nursery, and more than 500,000 trees are always greenhouse in Margahovit sponsored by the under various stages of cultivation. Bilezikian Family in memory of Charles Bilezikian. Planting sites are carefully selected based upon The greenhouse will house containers essential for several criteria: new tree growth. The containers will enable ATP to • Current usage of the land grow healthier trees, increasing tree survival rate. The • Quality of the soil Bilezikian building will house a laboratory where ATP • Availability of irrigation/water can further experiment with and test seed quality. The greenhouse has the capacity to produce around • Level of commitment from the local community 30,000 seedlings annually, and the site includes an to protect the trees outdoor classroom for students. ATP has planted more than 1,000 hectares of new forests at 38 sites and employs over 150 workers annually. 5 290554 AR.indd 5 3/8/19 7:10 PM EMPOWER AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING MONITOR SEYRAN HOVHANNISYAN By Jason Sohigian and Ani Melkonian Movsisyan, and we are hiring a fourth monitor in 2019 What do you think of when you think of ATP? to assist with this work. Each monitor is responsible for visiting about 300 sites on a regular basis. The Trees, of course. But it’s much more than just following is an interview with Seyran, to provide some planting trees. One of the keys to our success has insight into our people and what an ATP monitor been continuous monitoring of the planting sites actually does. in weeks, months, and years after the tree planting takes place. It’s one of the ways we empower local Tell us about the job of a monitor. What do you do? Armenians to be successful and ensure that the trees we plant today are protected well into the future. As a monitor you have to be a very responsible Our flagship Community Tree Planting Program has person. When we visit sites we have to be ready planted at more than 1,200 sites throughout Armenia to answer every question.